Remote control system



April 25, 1933.

l R. J. WENSLEY REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM Filed June 5. 1922 Patented Apr. 25,- 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROY J'. WENSLEY, 0F EDGEWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA,4 ASSIGNOR TO 'WESTIN'GEHOU'SE4 i ELECTRIC t MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA REMOTE coN'raoi. SYSTEM Application led June 5, 1922. Serial No. 565,876.v

My invention relates to remote-control i systems and particularly to selective sectionalizing systems.

One object of my. invention is to provide a control system whereby a section of a distributing system provided with a plurality of circuit interrupters may be selectively sectionalized over a single pair of conductors from any point of the system.

Another object of my invention is to provide a system, of the above-indicated chan acter, whereby an operator at any point of the system may select any desired interrupter in the system; control the operation oi the circuit breaker either to open or to close the same; and then procure from means associated with the interrupter an indication or signal as to the operation of the breaker.

A further object of my invention is to provide a control circuit, of theabove-indicated character, wherein a single pair of control conductors may be disposed along the main system and the several interrupters selectively controlled through said control cir cuit by selective means that may be disposed at any point along said control circuit.

A further object of my invention is to provide asemi-automatic control system of the above-indicated character that lmay be applied to, and employed with, a telephone circuit extending between the several stations v at which the interrupters may be disposed.

A further object of my invention is to provide a simple and economical system o f the above-indicated character in which may be employed rugged and proven devices of standard type that are at present employed in the art of automatic telephony.

In the distribution systems that are at present employed, it is desirable, in order to maintain continuous `operation on a normal ortion of the system, to be able to isolate la aulty section of the system. 'For this purpose, circuit interrupters or controlling devices are disposed at predetermined points in the system whereby the system may bev selectively sectionalized topermit testing and location of a faulty section. When the faulty permitted to continue its normal operation.

of the system and to restore the operation of the normal portion of the system, it is desirable to-be able to control the operation of the interrupters, or circuit-controlling devices from a main, or central, station. Obviously, this might be eiected through a plurality of circuits each disposed between the main station and the respective circuit interrupter in the system. The expense of such system, however, is a disadvantage. In a system of the above character, there is usually a telephone circuit available that proceeds from the main station to the interrupter stations. A

In practicing my invention, I utilize the telephone circuit that extends from the main statlon to the several substations of the system at which the interrupters are disposed. Each interruptor is electrically operated and is also provided with means that may be selectively controlled from the main station to either open or close the interruptor. Means are also disposed at the respective interrupters for relaying back to the main, or

central, station when desired by the operator, a signal indicating the open or the closed position of the interrupter.

By means of such system, an operator may use the telephone circuit simultaneously lfor speech transmission and for remote control of the `,several interrupters. VThe operator may also control the operation of any interrupter to ascertain uthe location of a faulty section and to isolate the same. c

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of an electrical system illustrating the disposition and arrangement of a portion of the system containing a lurality of circuit interrupters and/the telep one circuit whereby the same ma be controlled.

divided into sections by a plurality of circuit section is discovered, it is then isolated until interrupters 13, 14 and 15, respectively. The 190 50 cleared and the remainder of the system is two portions and 11, referred to above, may constitute the same bus section in one station to supply energy to the network 12 as the loop, 'or vthey may be disposed at diiierent points of the system. rTwo additional interrupters 16 and 1'? are disposed between such portions 10 and 11, respectively, and the network 12 and may be considered, the present arrangement, as being automatic in their operation.

li. telephone circuit 18 that may be ei ployed as an auxiliary control circuit eX- tends along the main conductors of the ioop 12 and is disposed adjacent thereto. A selectivo control switch 19 is disposed at the main, or central, station of the system and is connected to the teiephone circuit 18 to selectively control the operation of a plurality or" cont-roi units 20, 21 and 22, respectively, associated with the interrupters 13, 14 and 15.

l'lhe selective controi switch 19 corresponds to subscribers calling switch of an autor matic telephone system, such as that shown in Aitkens Automatic Telephony vol. 1, and is herein illustrated merely diagraminatically, since its construction and operation are well known in the electrical art and need not be referred to here in detail.

A small switch 23 is provided to connect the selective switch 19 to the telephone circuit 18 and, in an equipment of the standard type, will correspond to the line switch of the telephone that is closed when the receiver is removed from its hook.- As illustrated in the diagram, a receiver 24 and a condenser 25 are adapted to be connected in series across the telephone circuit 18. The unit comprising the selective switch 19, the line switch 23, the receiver 24 and condenser 25, although herein illustrated as being separate elements, will together constitute merelyV a telephone subscribers station of the type employed in automatic telephone systems.

In Fig. 2, of the accompanying diagram, is illustrated the equipment comprising a control unit associated with each of the in- .terrupters for controlling the operation thereof. The interruptor 13 that is illustrated is provided with two auxiliary switches and 31 that are respectively closed and opened when the main contacts of the interrupter 13 are closed. The interrupter is further provided with a closing coil 32 and a trip coil 33 whereby its operation may be controlled.

The control equipment for the interr'upter comprises a master relay switch 34 that is closed by each energizing impulse that is impressed upon the telephone circuitl8 by the dial switch 19. The master relay switch 34, when closed, completes-a circuit from the positive terminal of a storage battery 35 through the voperating coil of a notching relay 36 to the negative terminal ofthe storage battery 35.

Simultaneously, the main switch 34 completes a circuit from the positive terminal of the storage battery 35 through the armature and back Contact of a relay switch 37 and the operating coil of a time-lag relay 38 to the negative terminal of lthe storage battery 35.

llVhen the notching relay 36 is energized, it 'effects the operation of a ratchet device 39 which controls the movement of a contactsupporting arm 40. The arm 40 supports three Contact members 41, 42 and 43, respectively, that are adapted to simultaneously and respectively engage three stationary contact members 1, 2 and 3 of a piurality of groups disposed in the path of movement of the movable contact members 41, 42 and 43. rihe stationary contact members of each group are arranged in vertical rows, as are the movable contact members, and are illustrated as shown in the accompanying drawing for the salte of simplifying the circuit connections.

The operating relay 36, the ratchet device 39 and the movable and stationary contact members associated therewith constitute a selector device whereby the operator may select any predetermined group or row of Contact members, which are arranged in groups of three. The selector such as illustrated in the patent to Clement 1,107,153 is provided with twenty-five such groups containing three contact memberseach. Three groups or rows of stationary contact members are allotted to each breaker, and with the selector switch of the standard type now available any one of a plurality of interrupters may be selectively controlled.

The A groups of the stationary contact members associated with the respective interrupters are employed to control the closing of the interrupter; the B groups to control the tripping of the interruptor; and the C oups to relay back to the operator a signa indicating the position ofthe interrupter. The group member will be employed to indicate the position also, as, for example, group or position A-2.

The signalling means for accomplishing such purpose comprises two buzzers or other tone-producing devices 45 and 46, respectively, which may be adjusted to vibrate at different fre uencies to produce tones of different pitc or they may be of different sizes whereby the will produce tones of different pitch. The huzzers are connected in circuit with a transformer 47, the primary winding of which is connected in series with a condenser 48 across the telephone circuit 18. The buzzer circuit includes the positive terminal of battery 35, winding of transformer 47, contacts 3l, buzzer 45, contact 1 of the selector brush 41 to negative terminal of the battery.'

Two additional relay switches are provided for controlling the interrupter. One relay switch 49 is provided to control the circuit of the closing coil 32 and the other relay switch 50 is provided to control the circuit of the trip coil. The operation of the time-lag relay 38 should be noted since it is different from the operation of the other relay switches which are substantially instantaneous in their operation.

The relay 38 is provided with a washer 51, of non-magnetic material such as copper, that is disposed around the core member and serves, by reason of eddy currents induced therein, to introduce a time lag in the operation thereof. Thus, although the switches 52 and 53 controlled thereby may be very quickly opened by reasono the strong inagnetic iniiuence of the energized core member, they will not close so rapidly by reasoiiof the restraining influence of the eddy currents induced in the non-magnetic or copper,

v washer 51.

Normally, the contact bearing arm 4() is in its initial position X. When the line switch 23 is closed by the operatorat the main station, the master relay 34 of each control unit, associated with the respective interrupte'rs, energizes the notching relay 36 to advance the contact bearing arm 40 to position Y. Subsequent operation of the arm 40 thereafter depends upon the operation of the selector switch 19 by the operator.

Assuming that the interrupter 13 is to be closed, the operator will dial the switch 19 to No. 1, which will then de-energize and re-energize the master relay 34 once. The relay 36 will thereupon be actuated to advance the contact bearin arm 4() to the position illustrated in the diagram corresponding to posi tion A-l. The master relay 34 is then maintained energized and the contact bearing arm 40 remains in the position that is illustrated.

The relay 38 is immediately energized to open its switches 52 and 53. As previously explained, the operating coil of the relay switch 38 is simultaneously energized with the operating coil of the notching relay 36 thereby maintaining vthe operating circuit open. As soon, however, as the arm 4() moved to position A-l, engagement of the contact member 42 with the contact member 2 completed the energizing circuit for the relay switch 37. This switch, in opening, deenergizes the operating coil of the relay '38 which is thereupon permitted to close after a predetermined interval. This interval, or time lag, in the reclosing of the relay 38 is adjusted to exceed the interval between successive energizations and de-energizations of the telephone circuit by the selector switch 19 which is disposed at the main station.

After its predetermined interval of deenergization, however, the armature of relay 38 closes its back contact whereupon a circuit is completed thereby from the negative termilay 34 and its contact to positive of battery and the interrupter 13 is closed.

After the interrupter is closed, additional apparatus, which constitutes part of the standard selector switch employed in telephone practice, immediately actuates the contact bearing arm around to its initial position.

l am illustrating this feature of the operation` by a time element relay 55, the energization of which is controlled by the switch 53 of relay 38.

rlhe relay 55 comprises a pivoted member 60 that normallyfunctions as a stop member to preclude the arm 40 of the 'selector switch from being returned to its initial position by a spring 56. After the relay 55 is energized, over a circuit from negative battery, contact 53, relay 55, armature of relay 34 to positive battery, the pivoted stop member is removed romthe path of the ratchet wheel 39. A time element is introduced into the operation of the relay 55 to permit the desired operation of the main circuit interrupter to be performed, as controlled bythe relay 49 or 50, before releasing the ratchet wheel 39 to permit it to assume its initial position.

While the finterrupter is open, a circuit is completed through the buzzer 45 from positive battery `35, transformer 47, contact 31, buzzer 45, contact 1, brush 41 to negative battery. A tone of high pitch is then impressed upon the telephone circuit 18 which indicates to the operator at the main station that the.

interrupter is open. When the interrupter is closed, the buzzer 46 is connected in circuit whereupon a tone of relatively low pitch is impressed upon the circuit to indicate that the interrupter Ais closed. Thus, it will be seen that, when the dispatcher desires to close the circuit interrupter 13, the wipers 41 to 43, inclusive, will be brought into engagement with the contact set A-l by the operation of his calling device 19. As soon as the wipers are brought into engagement with this set of contacts, the receiver 24 at the dispatchers station is operated to give a tone corresponding to the buzzer 45' or 46 that is connected, depending upon the position of the circuit interrupter 13. When the circuit interrupter is closed by the operation of the relay 49, another tone 1s given to the dispatcher by the operation of the receiver 49, under the control of the buzzer 46, toinform him of the new position of the circuit interrupter. r

The operator atv the `di'spatchers oice may ascertain the position of any interrupter at any substation by operating the calling device 19 for the code which is assigned for testing the position of that particular interrupter. Assuming that it is desired to ascertain the position of the interrupter 13, the operation of the calling device 19 causes the selector switch 36 to rotate the wipers 41, 42 and 43 into engagement with the bank contact members indicated at C-l. As a result of this operation, a tone is placed upon the telephone line 18 from the buzzer 45 or 46, depending upon the closed or open condition of the interrupter. In a like manner, the condition of any other circuit breaker or apparatus unit in the system may be ascertained.

If it is desired to trip the interrupter, the operator dials No. 2 whereupon the relay switch is energized after a time interval controlled by the time lag in the operation of the switch 38.

By dialing the-numbers 4, 5 and 6, re-

spectively, he may actuate the arm lto the po`y sitions illustrated as A-2, B-2 and C-2, respectively, which are operatively connected only at the second interrupter in the series. Similarly, each interrupter is controlled through three groups of contact members. It will be understood that, whenever the selecting device 20 is operated, by the operation of the calling device 19 at the dispatchers oiiice, the other selecting devices 21 and 22 will be operated so that their wipers are brought into a corresponding position. The

particular circuit that it is desired to control by this code will only be connected to the proper selecting device in this position. That is, if the dispatcher desired to control the circuit interrupter 14, heA would operate his calling device in accordance' with the proper co e. By this operation, the selecting devices 20, 21 and 22 would be operated in amanner similar to that before described. In this position of the wipers of the selecting device 21, the circuit interrupter 14 would be operated. No circuit interrupters would be controlled by the action of the selecting devices 20 and 22. f

If any section of the ring should become faulty and cause the opening of the automatic interrupters 16 and 17, the operator might, for example, open the interrupter 14 and then reclose the interrupters 16 and 17 to determine whether or not the faulty section lay between the interrupters 14 and 16, or between the interrupters 14 and 17. Then the interrupters 13 and 15 might be similarly opened, depending upon which side of the interrupter 14 the faulty section lay, to determine whether the fault be between the interrupters 13 and 16 or the interrupters 13 and 14. The faulty section could thus be- By having the telephone circuit constitute a loop, as is illustrated in the diagram, a selective control switch corresponding to the telephone calling switch at the main station, may be applied by the operator at any point of the control circuit, and if the telephone circuit should, for any reason, be broken at some point, Jfurther control and operation of the system could nevertheless be maintained.

By means of the arrangement that is illustrated, it is thus possible to control from a central or main station any number of remotely-disposed circuit nterrupters at any points of the system through a single telephone circuit -extending from the main station to all the points of the system at which the interruptersare disposed.

Inasmuch as the result contemplated broadly by the disclosed system embodying my invention is to selectively control a plurality of remotely-disposed devices over a single telephone line, it may be noted that other selective means may be employed to procure the same result.

Where, in the appended claims, I refer to a telephone circuit or a circuit comprising two conductors, I contemplate both a metallic circuit comprising two conductors and also a circuit comprising a single conductor and ground return, since both systems are well known in the telephone art.

Therefore, although I have shown a specific arrangement of apparatus for accomplishing the purpose specified, it may be noted that other arrangements and other devices may be employed to procure the same results without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an electrical control system, the combination with a control oice, and apparatus units remotely disposed with respect thereto, of an audible signalling device at said oce, selector switches controlled from said oce for selecting one of said units, means controlled by such selection for operating said signalling device vto indicate the condition of said unit, and means for then changing the condition of said unit while said switches are maintained in selecting position.

2. In an electrical control system, the combination with 'a control oice, and apparatus umts remotely disposed with respect thereto, of an audible signalling device at said oflice,-

selector switches controlled from said oce for selecting one of said units, means controlled by such selection for operating said signalling device to indicatethe condition of said unit, means for chan 'ng the condition of said unit and means It then operatlng said signalling device to indicate such changed condition while said switches are maintained in selecting position.

3. In an electrical control system, the combination with a control oice, and apparatus units remotely disposed with respect thereto, of a signalling device at said oice, means including a selector switch for selecting one of said units, means responsive to such selection for operating said signalling device to indicate the condition of said unit, and means for then operatingsaid unit while saidswitch is maintained in selecting position.

4. In an electrical control system, the combination with a control oce, and apparatus units remotely disposed with respect thereto, of a signalling device at said oirice, means including a selector switch for selecting one o said units, means responsive to such selection for operating said signalling device to indicate the condition oi said unit, and additional means responsive to such selection for changing the condition oi said unit while said switch is maintained in lselecting positione 5. In an electrical control system, the combination with acontrol oce, apparatus units remotely disposed with respect thereto and a signalling line connecting said remote point with said oce, oi a signalling device at said oce, sources oi current of dilerent frequen- 'cies associated said units, means including said line and a selector switch controlled from said olice or selecting and changing the condition of one of said units, and means including said line tor applying current from one of said sources to said device, while the selector switch is in selecting position depending upon thecondition of the unit.

6. In a supervisory control system, a first station, a plurality of remotely disposed apparatus units, a signalling hne connectmg said units with said first station, direct current impulsing means or selecting one of said apparatus units by means of direct c urrent impulses transmitted over the signalllng line, means responsive to said selectlon for transmitting an audible tone over said signalling line to indicate the condition of said selected unit, means for operating said selected apparatus unit, and means for transmittin a. different audible tone over said signalling line to indicate the changed condition of said apparatus unit.

7 In a supervisory control system, a-rst station, a pluralitglof remotely disposed aparatus units, a 'gh tone and a low tone device associated with each of said ap aratus units, means for selecting one of sal apparatus units from said irst station, a second means including one of said devices and said unit operative in response to the selection of the apparatus unit for audibly indicating the condition thereof at said first station, and meansfor operating said selected unit, said second-mentioned 'means including the other of said devices being thereupon operative to indicate the changed condition of said lappa-- ratus unit.

.8. In a supervisory control system, a first station, a plurality of remotely disposed a paratus units, a signalling line connecting t e first station and the apparatus units, a signalling device at said first station, means at said irst station for transmitting direct-current impulses over the signalling line, a selector switch responsive to the direct-current impulses transmitted over the signalling line lor selecting one offsaid apparatus units, means responsive to the selection for operating the signalling device at the first station in a predetermined manner to indicate the condition ci' the selected unit, means for thereafter operating the selected unit, and means responsive to the operation of the unit for again operating the signalling device in a diderent predetermined manner to indicate the changed condition of the unit while the selecting switch is maintained in selectn ing position.

v9. In an electrical control system, a control station, a plurality of remotely disposed apparatus units, audible signalling means at the control station, a signalling line connect-n ing the control station and the apparatus units, a selector switch associated with cach apparatus unit, means at said control sta tion for operating the selector switches by means of current impulses transmitted over the signalling line to select one of said appau ratus units, means responsive to the Selection for operating the audible signallin means in accordance with the condition of t e selected unit, means operated in response to the selection for thereafter operating the selected unit, and means controlled by the operated unit While the selector switch is maintained in selecting position for again operating the audiblesignalling means in accordance with the changed condition of the unit.

10. In an electrical control system, a con trol oiice, a plurality of apparatus units re motely disposed therefrom, a signalling line connecting the control oce and the ap a ratus units, a receiver at the control o ce,

means including a selector switch and said signalling line for selecting one of said ap ratus units, means responsive to such seimtion for operatingthe receiver over said si alling line to produce an audible signal o predetermined character to indicate the condition of the selected unit, means oper ating thereafter to change the condition of the selected unit, and means responsive to thel changed condition of the unit for a in operatin the receiver over said si ing line to produce an audible signal of iierent predetermined character to indicate the changed condition of the. unit, said operations-of the receiver and the selected unit being effected while the selector switch is in 'selecting position.

11. In an electrical control system, a control oce, a plurality of apparatus units reizo motely disposed with respect thereto, a signailing device at the control oilice, selector switches associated with the apparatus units and controlled from the control oiice for selecting any one of said units, means rendered eii'ective in response to the selection for operating the signalling device at the control ofce in accordance with the position of the selected apparatus unit, and means controlled by the selector switch for effecting a change in the position of the selected apparatus unit while said selector switch is maintained in selecting position.

l2. In an electrical control system, a control oice, a pluralit of apparatus units remotely disposed Wit respect thereto, a signailing device at the control oice, selector switches associated with the apparatus units and controlled from the control oiiice for ,selectin any one of said units, means rendered e ective in response to the selection for operating the signalling device at the control oice in accordance with the position of the selected apparatus unit, additional means rendered effective by the selection for changing the position of the selectedum't, and means responsive to the change in position of the unit while the selector switch is maintained in selecting osition for again operating the signalling evice in accordance with the changed position of the unit.

In testimony whereof, I havehereunto subscribed my name this 22nd day of May, 1922.

i aor- J. WENSLEY. 

